Concerts

Burying the Dead, Church of St Mary, Kenardington

'Burying the Dead' is a new “music-psychodrama” which takes the audience on a fictional journey inside the head of composer Henry Purcell. It’s written by the playwright Clare Norburn and directed by Thomas Guthrie, with Niall Ashdown playing Henry Purcell. The premise is that Purcell is in his final illness, suffering from feverish dream-like hallucinations in which the past, present and fantasy collide and his songs take on a life of their own, moving from the ‘theatre of his mind’ to the actual theatre and beyond! The play deals with various issues from his life, including his experience with the Great Fire of London and the Plague, as well as his relationships with his wife and actresses in the theatre, played by Ceruleo sopranos Jenni Harper and Emily Owen.

Description:

Church of St Mary, Church Lane, Kenardington, TN26 2NQ

"I’d highly recommend Ceruleo. Great musicians. Interesting repertoire which appeals beyond those interested in early music. Imaginative presentation and great audience communication. Above all, people came out of their performance feeling buoyed up and smiling - which is just how it should be." Clare Norburn, Stroud Green Festival